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Message: Emoticon Listing HTML Help	[quote]I have been pursuing the origins and history of the Purdy family in Heanor, West Hallam and Greasley. The story begins with William Purdy. There are two accounts of origins: There are two William Purdys of interest in the International Genealogical Index, but this William is our family founding father. The IGI states he was born abt. 1761 in Denby, Derbyshire. He married Ruth Clarke. A son named William was born in 1790 in West Hallam. In a commemorative booklet for Rev. Francis Purdy, published in Ilkeston, Derbyshire in 1913, William, his father, is reputed to have emigrated from Scotland with James Watt to Birmingham when Matthew Boulton formed a partnership to build pumping engines for coal mines. Boulton & Watt usually provided someone to manage it under a three-year agreement for profit sharing. William's son Francis Purdy was a collier and was Tri-County Champion boxer, before a conversion experience led him to becoming the Sunday School Superintendent and Founder-Pastor of the Methodist Church at Langley, Heanor. His fascinating career is described in a commemorative booklet published in 1913, available in the Heanor Public Library. The IGI shows a William Purdy born in 16 July 1767 in Carluke, Lanark, Scotland, son of Thomas Purdy and Grisel Gibson In the history of West Hallam, in October 1765, it is recorded that Sir Henry Hunloke leased the colliery, unwatered by a fire engine. William came to West Hallam to install a pumping engine. This is more likely to have been his father, as Watt came down to Birmingham with his engine in 1773 and was living there when William was only 6 or13 years old, depending on which Purdy was the father. There is a record of a ten-year lease of the West Hallam or Mapperly colliery and the newly-erected fire engine to John Sutton on the 10th. October 1780. There is some doubt as to whether the engine was actually a Hunloke, a Boulton-Watt or a Newcomen engine, but the new engine installation was completed about August 4, 1781 and the christening ceremony, with roasting of a fat sheep whole and distribution of a hogshead of ale, was reported in the Derby Mercury of August11,1781. Richard Lowe (owner) and Rev. Mr. Clarke officiated. See "The Early Steam Engine in Derbyshire" by Frank Nixon, 9 October 1957, Trans. of the Newcomen Society. William could have helped his father to operate the pumping engine at Mapperly Colliery, Derbyshire. Presumably, William the son, then aged 15, would have gone with his parents when they moved, first to Ilkeston Common and then across the Erewash river to Beggarlee, Greasley, in Notts. Death is presumed after 1807. The IGI shows another William chr. 16 Jan 1823 at Greasley, Nottingham, parents Francis Purdy/Elizabeth Shaw with notation INFANT suggesting early death. This was presumably before Francis became a minister in the Primitive Methodist church and could explain a later second son William with christening date 7 April 1833. This William is the probable author of his father Francis's biography, printed in 1913 when William was 80 Anyone with items to add to this history would be welcome to join in.[/quote]
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Kenporter

This message was updated on 6/18/2004 7:00:12 AM by Kenporter

Purdys of Heanor and West Hallam
replied on: 6/18/2004 6:54:32 AM

I have been pursuing the origins and history of the Purdy family in Heanor, West Hallam and Greasley. The story begins with William Purdy.

There are two accounts of origins: There are two William Purdys of interest in the International Genealogical Index, but this William is our family founding father. The IGI states he was born abt. 1761 in Denby, Derbyshire. He married Ruth Clarke. A son named William was born in 1790 in West Hallam.

In a commemorative booklet for Rev. Francis Purdy, published in Ilkeston, Derbyshire in 1913, William, his father, is reputed to have emigrated from Scotland with James Watt to Birmingham when Matthew Boulton formed a partnership to build pumping engines for coal mines.
Boulton & Watt usually provided someone to manage it under a three-year agreement for profit sharing.

William's son Francis Purdy was a collier and was Tri-County Champion boxer, before a conversion experience led him to becoming the Sunday School Superintendent and Founder-Pastor of the Methodist
Church at Langley, Heanor.

His fascinating career is described in a commemorative booklet published in 1913, available in the Heanor Public Library.

The IGI shows a William Purdy born in 16 July 1767 in Carluke, Lanark, Scotland, son of Thomas Purdy and Grisel Gibson

In the history of West Hallam, in October 1765, it is recorded that Sir Henry Hunloke leased the colliery, unwatered by a fire engine.

William came to West Hallam to install a pumping engine. This is more likely to have been his father, as Watt came down to Birmingham with his engine in 1773 and was living there when William was only 6 or13 years old, depending on which Purdy was the father.

There is a record of a ten-year lease of the West Hallam or Mapperly colliery and the newly-erected fire engine to John Sutton on the 10th. October 1780.

There is some doubt as to whether the engine was actually a Hunloke, a Boulton-Watt or a Newcomen engine, but the new engine installation was completed about August 4, 1781 and the christening ceremony, with roasting of a fat sheep whole and distribution of a hogshead of ale, was reported in the Derby Mercury of August11,1781. Richard Lowe (owner) and Rev. Mr. Clarke officiated. See "The Early Steam Engine in Derbyshire" by Frank Nixon, 9 October 1957, Trans. of the Newcomen Society.

William could have helped his father to operate the pumping engine at Mapperly Colliery, Derbyshire. Presumably, William the son, then aged
15, would have gone with his parents when they moved, first to Ilkeston Common and then across the Erewash river to Beggarlee, Greasley, in Notts.

Death is presumed after 1807.

The IGI shows another William chr. 16 Jan 1823 at Greasley, Nottingham, parents Francis Purdy/Elizabeth Shaw with notation INFANT suggesting early death. This was presumably before Francis became a minister in the Primitive Methodist church and could explain a later second son William with christening date 7 April 1833.

This William is the probable author of his father Francis's biography, printed in 1913 when William was 80

Anyone with items to add to this history would be welcome to join in.

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